Logitech

Pros: Comfortable design keeps everything within easy reach; can program 75 functions to keys per game which is far more than any sane person will ever need; adjustable-color backlighting makes it easy to keep modes straight; LCD screen is great even when you’re not gaming

Cons: Thumbstick doesn’t work better than good old-fashioned WASD; it’s not really all that much more useful than your normal keyboard for non-MMO players

Logitech announced a bevy of new products at E3 this week that includes a new wireless wheel and a Wii keyboard.

I had a chance to check out the Logitech Driving Force Wireless wheel for the PlayStation 3. The peripheral sits neatly on your lap or table top. It has force feedback and good turning radius, but it’s nowhere near as impressive as Logitech’s flagship wheel, the Driving Force GT.

Without any clips to anchor it to the table, I was afraid that the wheel would slip around my lap, but fortunately, it worked well. It seems like a device that would go well for the more casual players. Being wireless means that it doesn’t take too long to set up and there’s nothing to trip over while your playing around.

The wheel itself runs on 2.4 GHz wireless technology. It also includes an expandable lap rest. The price point is also intriguing. At $99.99, it’s much more affordable than Logitech’s other wheels.

This Gran Turismo 5 Prologue rig was set up at the Sony booth. Logitech had something similar a few feet away. It’s a pretty nice set up with the new PlayStation 3 Logitech wheel the company announced this week. The huge Bravia monitor is hard to ignore as well.

The new Logitech wheel has stronger force feedback and 24-point control dial (that’s the red thing on the wheel) to manage how strong you want your brakes and other parts of the car. For hard-core racing fans, this will definitely be a must-buy.